I'm getting ready to order a brand new laptop. I want it to be dual-core & 64-bit. I was set to get a Core 2 Duo processor mainly because it has more L2 cache than the Turion, but I recently read somewhere that the C2D isn't a "true" 64-bit processor, that it's really just two 32-bit processors in one with 64-bit extensions while the Turion is a "true" 64-bit processor.

Will I be able to install a 64-bit distro (never mind the problems people have had with 64-bit distros) if I get the C2D? Is there much performance between the C2D and the Turion?

marko

28th May 2007, 02:29 AM

I don't think so, ie. the first C2D mobile chip is the "merom" and it's a full 64bit CPU.
The "yonah" or "Core Duo" is the one that's not 64 bit but that's not a
core 2 duo which you were talking about.

I think what you heard about is the issue about how the Intel Core
chips are interconnected, AMD makes a big deal out of them not being native
multi core, basically the cores aren't directly connected internally but talk
via the system bus. The upcoming AMD Barcelona is a real multicore as
the cores are directly linked inside.

Intel counters that the Core chips
use large shared caches on the die to greatly reduce the negative of
no direct connections. Who knows who's right, I'm sure the AMD
way is more elegant but it's possible the cache sharing eases a lot
of the bus issue like Intel says. But then the Barcelona doesn't
exist yet so it's academic for now.